Winter Wolves has announced the release of its latest visual novel title, Bionic Heart 2. The sequel is a combination of visual novel and classic adventure game set in a sci-fi future. It features manga artwork, four unique characters, and many possible endings.

The game features a dark/mature sci-fi story told from the point of view of four different characters: Luke, Tanya, Tom and Tina. Each character has his own goals and every decision they make will have an impact in the game world.Bionic Heart 2 offers two parallel stories as well as "social boss fights" in which you'll have to find the right sequence of answers to achieve different goals, or simply survive.

The game is available in the standard version and in the bonus content version which includes: full OST with 10 tracks, 16 wallpapers and exclusive artwork not seen in the game!

Bionic Heart 2 is available now and is priced at $19.99 for the standard version and $24.99 for the bonus content version.
Winter WolvesBionic Heart 2

Obsidian Entertainment has released another new early development blog post focusing on the creation of its upcoming Project Eternity RPG. The post reveals details about the ongoing prototyping process to implement the various systems needed to complete a fully functional finished product, as well as a collection of new concept art.

Last month we finished our prototype 1 build. In Update #47, Josh outlined our goals for the first prototype, which focused on establishing "that IE feel". Not only did we hit that mark with the look of our characters and environments, but we also hit our target with movement, combat, and gameplay systems. Core basics that you all expect from Project Eternity such as party movement, melee and ranged combat attacks, containers (with loot!), doors, using special class abilities and spell casting, area transitions, inventory and equipment are all in the game and functioning. We also established working character and environment pipelines - the art team is now able to create beautiful rendered areas, and we can model armor sets for all of our uniquely proportioned races. Additionally, we've established that we can efficiently concept, model and animate creatures for our soon to be growing bestiary.

After the prototype 1 audit meeting, Josh and I came up with a plan for what we would like to see the team tackle in prototype 2. Josh has previously mentioned a few of the goals for prototype 2 which include fog of war, character voice sets, crafting, stores, AI patrols, and the melee engagement system. Besides the expanded feature implementation, we are going to put our pipelines to the test on another set of new environments and creatures before moving into production.

The plan for prototype 2 is to create a small village with a handful of buildings to enter, including a shop and inn. To the east of the village is a medium sized wilderness area with access to a small cave dungeon interior. The prototype also includes a large dungeon (I won't spoil the contents of the dungeon, because some of the ideas in the prototype will eventually make their way into the shipped game). All of these areas are connected by a complex multi-stage quest with several objectives (some optional) and with many different ways of completing it.

inXile Entertainment recently posted another update about the upcoming Torment: Tides of Numenera, a spiritual successor to the classic Planescape: Torment fantasy RPG. The post reveals details about the design and planning stage, a video describing the Numenera setting, and a discussion of how the developers will be adding depth and replayability to the game.

We'll be adding depth in many different ways, but primarily depth is focused on choice and consequences. That is, a given scenario might have 3 or 4 different solutions, and each of those solutions will close certain paths and open others. This will apply in small ways -- within dialogue trees, for example, as you follow one line of dialogue, it will close off others -- and occasionally in larger ways as your choices shape the world around you. Entire areas might be altered or closed off, and new ones opened that would've been unavailable had you made a different choice.

Depth also means going deeper with the companions. For example, additional choices you can make with their characters and your relationship with them, or deeper interactions between the companions themselves, so different combinations of companions in your party will lead to different results.

Ultimately, depth is about making each playthrough unique, since you won't be able to explore every path to its fullest extent. It's about emphasizing the fact that your choices matter.

PCGMedia has posted a new interview with Spiderweb Software's Jeff Vogel about developing unique old school role playing games in a world of big budget game titles. In the interview Vogel discussed the impact of graphics on game enjoyment, the difficulties involved with being an independent developer, and the possibility of developing a game like Avernum on a Skyrim budget.

Gordon Walton, an industry veteran, recently said that The Sims 1 was ďbigger than Sims 2 and 3? because it engaged the imaginations of players more-so than its successors, because it was crudely animated. He claimed that high production values came as a detriment to how a player is engaged, because, according to Walton, itís all exposition and no imagination. Do you think that lower production values help to engage the player, since the player needs to be more imaginative, and to actually engage with the game, rather than being spoon fed exposition? What are your thoughts on this?

Jeff: I think peoples reactions to various levels of graphics is very individual. Itís really a personal aesthetic preference. Everyone has a level of graphics theyíre most comfortable with. I love the graphical detail of Avernum, even though itís very simple and iconic. On the other hand, Iím completely unable to play Minecraft without a proper texture pack installed.

Do you Ė to any degree Ė lament the downfall of classical turn-based RPGs in favor of smaller, highly polished action RPG titles?

Jeff: I donít mind the polish. I mind the action. I miss slower-paced, more cerebral games. I loved the recent X-Com reboot to death. I think it really shows you can have success writing that sort of game here and now.